| RALLY NEWS NO.3 Clonmel/Service/Sunday 3.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 6 Kilmore
1st (1) Gareth MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 48.05
2nd (7) Jack Sleator/Andrew Purcell (Impreza WRC) 49.23
3rd (4) Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 49.32
4th (6) David James/Jim Crowe (Focus WRC) 50.02
5th (9) Ian Barrett/Eoin O'Flaherty (Impreza N) 50.22
6th (11) James M Stafford/Frank Dwyer (Darrian) 50.32
7th (5) PJ McGrath/Killian Duffy (Impreza WRC) 50.48
8th (31) Gwyn Thomas/Anthony O'Connell (Puma) 51.26
9th (30) Terence O'Shaughnessy/Eugene McGrath (Corolla) 51.43
10th (15) Owen Murphy/Paul Williams (Lancer N) 51.56
11th (25) Stephen Cullen/Edward Roche (Impreza N) 52.03
Mixed weather conditions continued for the drivers through stages 5 and 6 and the rapid change from dry roads to wet meant difficult tyre choices for the crews. Gareth MacHale said that he got caught on intermediate tyres which were the wrong choice at one point and he just eased back ever so slightly, but still has a massive lead in the rally. Jack Sleator in 2nd place was also on the wrong tyres and dropped quite a few seconds. The gap now between MacHale & Sleator over a minute, but between Sleator and Kevin Barrett just 9s. David James in 4th place had a good run over the last few stages, his Focus well on the pace and co driver Jim Crowe said "That was brilliant".
Ian Barrett in 5th was another to ease back considerably, Ian very secure in the group N lead especially since his closest pursuer Owen Murphy slowed right down in stage 6 when his Lancer developed turbo charger trouble. James Stafford came up into 6th place despite gearbox troubles with his Darrian. PJ McGrath is having a difficult day trying to get back in the groove after his rally lay off and he is down in 7 th place. Gwyn Thomas in the Puma is 8th and he also was having some gearbox troubles. Terence O'Shaughnessy is turning in a brilliant drive in his Corolla to hold 9 th. While Owen Murphy has slipped to 10th place.
Stephen Cullen is just outside the leaderboard in his Impreza and holding 3rd group N place. Mick McQuaid is now on a total of 52.20 and lying approximately 12th o/a despite his Escort having slipped into a field on a square right corner. Colm Cronin and Brian Sharkey put their Peugeot off the road on a square corner earlier, another competitor clipped their car but damage wasn't too bad and then Brian Sharkey, who was the clerk of the course of the NE Stages Rally a few weeks ago, found a wallet imbedded in the mud at the scene of their accident. The wallet turned out to be property of a driver, Mossie Fitzgerald, who had crashed at the same spot earlier.
Latest news on the accident at the Lurgan Park Rally yesterday is that just 2 people remain in hospital, one in Craigavon one in Belfast, one for examination for an injured shoulder and one for a broken leg. The other casualties were released last night.
BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net |
